Analysis: Hollande to tighten grip in French parliament election

Page last updated at 05:10 GMT, Sunday, June 3, 2012 - 10:10 EST

Reuters:

France's President Francois Hollande speaks with the minister for Women Rights Najat Vallaud-Belkacem (R) at the end of the week

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The stakes are high in the contest taking place on June 10 and 17, as the 57-year-old social democrat can only hope to implement his tax-and-spend plans if the left takes control of the lower house National Assembly, as polls predict.

But even a mix of hard leftists in a left-wing majority should not upset Hollande's chances of passing laws to enforce deficit-cutting and ratifying a European budget responsibility pact, given the opposition right would struggle to oppose the measures.

The Socialist Party has no guarantee of winning outright control of the lower house and may end up depending for a majority on the support of the Greens, or the more radical left-wingers and communists of the Left Front.

Read the whole story: Reuters